A unique and distinctive culture emerges from the Burning Man experience. Rooted in the values expressed by the Ten Principles, this culture is manifested around the globe through art, communal effort, and innumerable individual acts of self-expression. To many, it is a way of life.

Hey, I was just wondering what different kinds of volunteering positions are available? 2012 will be my first year, and I wouldn't mind helping out with everything.

We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path.

There are many things you can volunteer for but I believe the accepted wisdom for first timers is to wait and volunteer on the playa, rather than commit yourself ahead of time. That was my plan for my first time and I was so beat down by the environment and insufficient fitness that I never managed to make it to anyplace to volunteer - at least I didn't cause problems by pre booking my volunteer efforts. You may have the best of intentions, but it's hard to plan what's gonna happen on playa time if you've never been there.

There are several groups that take volunteers on the spot such as lamplighters, post office, and iirc the portapotty project but those who know more about these and others will be replying shortly I'm sure.

Savannah: I don't know what it is, but no thread here escapes alive. You'll get 1 or 2 real answers at minimum, occasionally 10 or 12, and then we flog it until it's unrecognizable and you can't get your deposit back.

Tons of things to get involved with http://www.burningman.com/participate/volunteer.html But this link was readily available on the main web site. Which then begs the question: If you are planning on going to TTITD, have you done all the rest of your preliminary reading?

JKhttp://www.mudskippercafe.comWhen I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.

Sign up to the Jack Rabbit Speaks newsletter and your local regional group's mailing list, they'll have information in the spring about volunteering/participating with different departments, I believe.

As a rule, though, in your first year you shouldn't plan or schedule volunteer shifts in advance. For starters, your presence on the playa is a gift to the community - just worry about getting out there in one piece and enjoying the experience. Second, as you'll probably discover over the course of the next ten months, getting out there takes a lot more than most people imagine. Regardless of the experience you may have with camping or anything else related... Burning Man is something else. If you sign up for a bunch of stuff, you may find yourself in a situation where things get overwhelming as the event approaches (or you get out there). Then there's also a certain 'holy shit' factor, where new folks who are prepared and ready to go get out there and just get completely lost (in a very good way), and for one reason or another have incredible difficulty honoring any of those commitments (which then sucks for the group that was in need of help).

Don't worry though, there will be plenty of opportunities for volunteering and pitching in on the playa. Head to Playa Info (next to Center Camp) on any given day, I believe there's a temporary job service that helps put volunteers in touch with artists and projects that can use a hand immediately. There's also the Lamplighters (also near Center Camp), hit them up on any afternoon and you can help them light the streets of Black Rock City. And there's BRCPO - the post office, which can also put volunteers to work every day, delivering packages and messages to points all around Black Rock City. I'm sure there are other 'on the day' volunteer options too.

I preferentially look for virgins to go on Poop Patrol.Feel free to review "all about participating in the pottie project" for more information. When: any time you can jump in my car. The shift is 4 hours long - more or less. And you get fed at Kommissary.Where: find me at Terminal City in the morning or when you come on by. Drink other people's beer while you're waiting.What: cruise the city distributing tp and listening to my bullshitWhy: because it's the best job on the Playa!

Excellent! I'll check those links out and take the advice you guys give me. Is there any rules about cameras? Some music festivals I've been too, didn't want me using an SLR for the little videos I like to make.

We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path.

robbidobbs wrote:I preferentially look for virgins to go on Poop Patrol.Feel free to review "all about participating in the pottie project" for more information. When: any time you can jump in my car. The shift is 4 hours long - more or less. And you get fed at Kommissary.Where: find me at Terminal City in the morning or when you come on by. Drink other people's beer while you're waiting.What: cruise the city distributing tp and listening to my bullshitWhy: because it's the best job on the Playa!

Enjoy your year of anticipation. Read everything.

Thanks for jumping in.

Where do I sign up for 2012!?

"being the change we want to see "like Gandhi with glow sticks" ~ Caveat Magister

There isn't a formal signup, just jump in my car. In the morning Gonzo and I leave at 7am sharp. I mozy thru TC occasionally, but I monitor the entire city so no set schedule. If you see me, and it's daylight, you're in. I totally want your help lazerfox! It's a sweet gig!

robbidobbs wrote:There isn't a formal signup, just jump in my car. In the morning Gonzo and I leave at 7am sharp. I mozy thru TC occasionally, but I monitor the entire city so no set schedule. If you see me, and it's daylight, you're in. I totally want your help lazerfox! It's a sweet gig!

BTW: Gonzo's from Orlando. He'll be just tickled if you can join us.

O-Town in the house...although by next year I should (hopefully) no longer be a resident of Orlando. Planning on moving out of state in June 2012. And uh...I don't think I've seen pics of you So I'll need to figure out how to recognize you

"being the change we want to see "like Gandhi with glow sticks" ~ Caveat Magister

robbidobbs wrote:There isn't a formal signup, just jump in my car. In the morning Gonzo and I leave at 7am sharp. I mozy thru TC occasionally, but I monitor the entire city so no set schedule. If you see me, and it's daylight, you're in. I totally want your help lazerfox! It's a sweet gig!

BTW: Gonzo's from Orlando. He'll be just tickled if you can join us.

Are you going to be doing it this coming year? It definitely sounds like an experience.

you can pick up your 5 gallon buckets at first camp.. while they last.

.... I am hoping that you're joking, because that sounds terrible. ...and by terrible I mean that it sucks because next year I'll have to spend more money and that'll take more organization.

It also means that I have definitely got to hit robbidobbs up this year, just in case. I figure, this is going to be a whole new experience, so why not try out stuff that I've never done before/would never normally do, eh?

Sorry, I was joking and there's not an edit button (that I see, at least). Although I haven't been yet, I do believe that if the porta potty people decided to stop servicing BRC then it would definitely affect the event in a negative fashion. But, I'm just ready to go

JDCookMS wrote:Sorry, I was joking and there's not an edit button (that I see, at least). Although I haven't been yet, I do believe that if the porta potty people decided to stop servicing BRC then it would definitely affect the event in a negative fashion. But, I'm just ready to go

JDCookMS wrote:Sorry, I was joking and there's not an edit button (that I see, at least). Although I haven't been yet, I do believe that if the porta potty people decided to stop servicing BRC then it would definitely affect the event in a negative fashion. But, I'm just ready to go

JDCookMS wrote:Sorry, I was joking and there's not an edit button (that I see, at least). Although I haven't been yet, I do believe that if the porta potty people decided to stop servicing BRC then it would definitely affect the event in a negative fashion. But, I'm just ready to go

robbidobbs wrote:There isn't a formal signup, just jump in my car. In the morning Gonzo and I leave at 7am sharp. I mozy thru TC occasionally, but I monitor the entire city so no set schedule. If you see me, and it's daylight, you're in. I totally want your help lazerfox! It's a sweet gig!

BTW: Gonzo's from Orlando. He'll be just tickled if you can join us.

Are you going to be doing it this coming year? It definitely sounds like an experience.

Yes, it is an experience that many have looked back upon as their life changing look at how the great experience that is BurningMan is.

That said, feel free to find me in Terminal City to go out and enjoy the excrementory enlightenment that is the Pottie Project.